The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-01-13
The JOYS of Childhood.

"A WOiO q wy oSoiA, Choo"Ou WieA
the same wild passion for plucking
water-melons in the dark of the moon,
l would no doubt fall victim to that
overmasterng passion as 1 did before;
but looking at it as l do now, l would
be wiser. Boys can not, however, have
the mature judgment of mankind with
out the experience and the rheumatism
that go with it. So it is better that in
our childhood we may be able to eat
raw turnip with safety and know some
thing later on in life.
l notice a great change in myself
while comparing my present condition
with that of joyous childhood. Then
l had no sense, but l had a good diges-
ton. Now l haven't even the diges.
tion.
The hurrying years have cavorted
over my sunny head till they have worn
it smooth, but they have left good deal
yet for me to learn. lam still engaged
in learning during the day and putting
arnica on my experience at night.
Childhood is said to be the most glad
some period in our lives, and in some
respects this statement may be regard
ed as reliable, but it is not all joy. l
have had just as much fun in later
years as did in childhood, though the
people with whom have been thrown
in contact claim that their experience
has been different. hope they do not
mean anything personal by that.
do sometimes wish that | could be
a boy again, but smother that wish on
account of my parents. What they
need most is rest and change of scene.
They still enjoy children, but they
would like chance to select the child
rem with whom they associate.
NV parents were blest with five bright
eyed and beautiful little boys, three of
whom grew up and by that means be-
came adults. | am in that condition
myself. l was the eldest of the family
with the exception of my parents l
am still that way. Ny early life was
rather tempestuous in places, occasion
ally tlecked with sunshine, but more
frequently with retribution. was not
very good roadster when young, so
retribution was most always in the
act of overtaking me. While outrag-
ed justice was getting in it's work on
me, the other boys escaped through
small aperture in the fence.
That is another reason why [ do not
yearn to be boy again.
When we ran away from school to
catch chubs and when we built fire to
cook them and the fire got into thejtall
dried grass and burned four miles of
fence and sixteen tons of hay for gen.
tleman for whom had hi gh regard,
and went back to put out the fire, the
other boys escaped and have remained
so ever since.
A just retribution has never had any
difficulty in overtaking me and walking
up and down my w1shbone.
When a party of us had been engaged
in gathering Easter eggs in the barn of
a gentleman who was away from home
at the time, and he returned just as we
had filled our pockets with the choicest
vintage of the sun-kissed hens, the
other boys escaped while was occupy
ing the attention of the dog, and had
to slide out the second story of the barn.
1t is still fresh in my mind as write.
wore my fathers vest at that time,
and it was larger than was necessary.
My father was larger than at that
time. for was only nine years of age
and had not arrived at my full stature.
In sliding down the batten [ discovered
that the upper end of it was loose, and
that my flowing vest had slipped over
it, SO that when got down about four
feet hung with the board buttoned in
side my bosom and the scrambled eggs
oozing out of my knickerbockers.
The batten had sprung back against
the barn in such way as to prevent
my unbuttoning my vest. and while l
hung there on the side of the barn like
coon skin, the proprietor came
around aud accused me of prematurely
gathering his eggs.
had heard truth very highly spoken
of by people who had dabbled in it
more or less. and so 1 resolved to try ii
in this instance. So [ admitted that
such was the case, and it was the best
thing I could have done, for the man
said as 1 had been so frank with him
he would take me down as soon as he
got his other work done, and he was as
good as his word. After he had MIXED
nine COWS and fed nine calves. he came
around with ladder and took me
down. He also spanked me and set
the dog on me. but l did not mind that,
for I was accustomed to it. To hang
on the side of barn, however. like an
autumn leaf, trying to kick large holes
in the atmosphere is disagreeable.
This incident cast a gloom over my
whcs1 life. 1t has also reconciled me
to the awful decree that l can never
be boy again. Nye.